Revival floated for UA's Kingsdale shopping center

Wednesday

Dec 31, 2008 at 12:01 AMDec 31, 2008 at 1:23 AM

A proposal for Kingsdale Shopping Center includes a 105,000-square-foot Giant Eagle store, two four-story office buildings, several new retail buildings, space for a parking garage and a small green space.

A proposal for Kingsdale Shopping Center includes a 105,000-square-foot Giant Eagle store, two four-story office buildings, several new retail buildings, space for a parking garage and a small green space.

Continental Real Estate Cos., which is buying the center's almost 22 acres from Florida-based Regency Centers, submitted the preliminary plan to city officials Monday.

After the sale is complete, Upper Arlington might be interested in buying property from Continental, based in Franklin County, to build a road to provide better access and additional commercial options, Assistant City Manager Joe Valentino said. Officials wouldn't discuss details of either sale.

The center, built in 1959, has been nearly half vacant for much of the past decade. Once home to the Union, an upscale department store; Madison's women's boutique; and Leslie H. Wexner's first store, the center was hurt by the openings of Columbus City Center in 1989, the Mall at Tuttle Crossing in 1997, Easton Town Center in 1999 and Polaris Fashion Place in 2001.

The office buildings, facing Zollinger Road, would provide more than 100,000 square feet of space. A 15,000-square-foot office plaza near those planned buildings would be razed.

One of two rows of retail spaces extending from Macy's -- which is not a part of the Kingsdale property -- toward Giant Eagle would be demolished.

One of those spaces now includes the popular MCL Cafeteria, which is penciled in for a 9,000-square-foot space near Macy's, said Chad Gibson, the city's senior planning officer.

Existing businesses that would remain -- including First Watch, Jeffrey Thomas and Chipotle -- would get new exteriors.

A parking lot on the Tremont Road side of the new Giant Eagle, where the current supermarket stands, could be used for a parking garage in the future, Gibson said.

Both Gibson and Continental spokeswoman Tina Farley said the preliminary plan is "conceptual," and changes are likely as it makes its way through the city's Board of Zoning Appeals and the City Council.

Gibson said he wants a better look for the Northwest Boulevard side, featuring about 90 yards of Giant Eagle's side and its parking lot.

In addition, he expressed concern about parking. The proposal includes 1,360 parking spaces, 153 more than now exist. That ratio of more than four parking spaces per 1,000 square feet exceeds the city code of three per 1,000 square feet, he said.

"This project is extremely significant for the community, and it's important that it's successful," Gibson said. "We're excited to have a local developer interested. We're closer (to reviving Kingsdale) than ever before."

Added Farley: "I think everybody involved wants to see this project take off."

mrozenman@dispatch.com

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